Miniature reflex copy-reproducing device



Jan. 15, 1963 H. P. ROGANTI MINIATURE REFLEX COPY-REPRODUCING DEVICE Filed Ju1y 25, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HENRY P. ROGANTI ATTORN AG EN Jan. 15, 1963 I H. P. ROGANTI 3,

' MINIATURE REFLEX COPY-REPRODUCING DEVICE Filed July 25, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR. HENRY P. R0 ANTI BY Wm ATTORNEY a. Raw W AGENT Jan. 15, 1963 H. P. ROGANTI 3,073,234

MINIATURE REFLEX COPY-REPRODUCING DEVICE Filed July 25 1960 s Sheets-Sheet s F-L B Y INVENTOR. E15 HENRY P. ROG NTI BYLU T AGEN ,device of FIG.

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United States Patent Ofllice 3,073,234 Patented Jan. s, 1963 14 Claims. (Cl. 95-75) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a miniature reflex copy-reproducing device.

One object of the invention is to provide a copy-reproducing device which is capable of producing copies without having to remove pages from bound documents.

Another object is to provide a copy-reproducing device which is compact and easy to operate.

These and other objects will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken with the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an end view of an optical reflex reproducing device of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side exploded view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 along the lines 33 with the circuit shown schematically;

FIG. 4 showsthe relation of the exposing head of the device of FIG. 1 with the printed copy; I

FIG. 5 shows an end view of a modification of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a side view partially cutaway of the FIG. 7 shows a partial-sectional view of the device of FIG. 6 along the lines 77;

FIG. 8 shows the shutter used in the device of 5,

FIG. 9 shows another use for the device of FIGS. 1

.and 5.

Itoften becomes desirable or necessary to obtain partial or whole copies of information such ,as pages of books :or other bound documents in which the removal of the .pages is difficult or undesirable. With prior art devices, the bulk of the apparatus Written, printed or graphic matter, all of whichwill be called printed material in this disclosure, by the simple act of passing a self-contained hand-sized unit over the material of interest. The device of the invention is loaded with photosensitive paper or thin'base film, which will be referred to as photosensitive material in this dis-3 closure. Thedevice is used to make the copy Without regard to ambient or prevailing light-and automatically stores and protects the latent images collecteduntil the 3 device is unloaded for developmentby normal processing methods.

Referring more particularly-to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, reference number 10 refers to a reflexcopyreproducing device having a housing 11. Housing 11 has two parts, 12 and 13, shown in FIG. 2. The bottom portion 13 has supp orted'thereon a supply spool 14 and a. take-up spool 15. i The supply spool 14' is supported .upon the bottom portion 13 by means of support arms 16, one of which is shown in FIG. 2.3" .The take-up spool 15 is mounted. upon movable arms 17 which are pivoted at 18. The upperhousing 12 has therein a light source 3 'held in the hand of the operator 7 ment between the I page.

22, which provides illumination at the exposing head 23. The light source is supplied from power supply 24 and is energized by the closingof switch 25 which is controlled by the on button 26 shown in FIG. 2. The light source is inserted into a hole in a block 29 of light transmitting material having light diifusing properties which in the device built wasa block of Lucite which is integral with the exposing head 23. An opaque coating 27 shields the film from the light source 22. Although the light source is schematically'shown as an ordinary nonlinear filament lamp, it is preferable that a line light source be used. Photosensitive material 20, from supply spool 14, passes over'the exposing head 23 over an idler roller 30 and onto the take-up spool 15. A metering roller 31 contacts the photosensitive material 20 on the take-up spool 15 and drives the take-up spool at substantially the same speed as the copy reproducing device is moved across the copy sheet. A one-way clutch mechanism 32 keeps the take-up spool from being driven in the wrong direction. Though this is shown as a cam and ball type one-way clutch, it is obvious that othertypes could be used, if desired. A spring 19 is provided to urge the take-up spool 15 against the metering roller 31. A shim stock light seal 33 is provided between the photosensitive material and the bottom portion 13 of housing 11. Felt light seals 34 and 35 are provided on' both sides of the metering roller 31. The light seal 34 extends over into contact with the photosensitive material 20. A meter 36 is provided to indicate the amount of photosensitive material remaining on the supply spool 14. An' arm 37 in fcontact with thepaper on spool 14 actuates the meter to provide the indication. A pair of Teflon strips 38 and 39 are provided as sliding surfaces. Strip 39 has a raised .portion 40 thereon; I

In the operation of the device with switch 25 closed and the light source 22 energized, the copying device is p and passed over printed copy. 41 as'shown in FIG. 4.

Since the take-up spool 15 is driven by the metering roller 31 with the metering roller in contact with; the

Iphotosensitive material 20, the photosensitive material -will pass the exposing head 23 at substantially the same speed as the reflex copying device is passed over the paper. There will, 'thereforeybe substantially'no relative movephotosensitive material 20 and the copy 41. The 'photoemulsion 42 on photosensitive material 20 is exposed by normal reflex action as indicated by the arrows 43fand 44. Since the photosensitive material will remain stationary overthe exposing head while the device is being returned for another sweep of the copyga black bar will. be produced to automatically indicate the beginning and end of each pass of the device across the As canb'e seen,.'theexposingtime is determined by the time that the photosensitive material is positioned over the exposing head 23 and is therefore determined by the speed of the movement of the device over printed copy.

Usually, the exact speed at which the device is moved is not critical'and with a little practice an operator will be able to move the device at a speed which'falls within the acceptable range. However, if the exposing time is critical, the. device may be modified as shown in FIG. 5,

which shows two auxiliary housings 45 and'46 attached to the side of housingll. With this modification, .two overlapping cylindrical holes'would be drilled through the light difiuserI29. Anelongated light source 47 would be mounted in the upper hole 48 and a light shutter 49 would be mounted in the lower hole 48A. The light source 47 would be surrounded by a light reflecting opaque coating 50 located on the inner wall of hole 48. The shutter 49'wou1d be driven by linkages 51 connected to magnets 52 which are driven by drag cups 53, connected to driving rollers 54. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the shutter 49 would be driven from both sides of the device. Tensioning springs 55, one of which is shown, provide a restoring torque for the drag cup shutter operating devices. The tension of the springs 55 may be adjusted by means of adjustments 56, one of which is shown.

In the operation of the device, when the reflex copy- .reproducing device is at rest, the shutter is in the position shown with the shutter element 60 covering the opening .in the bottom of hole 48 so that no light can pass into the difluser 29. As the device is moved, the amount of torque applied to magnets 52 by drag cups 53 is deter- .mined by the speed at which the device is moved across the paper and, thus, the amount that the shutter is opened is determined by this speed. In this way, the illumination -is kept substantially constant regardless of speed.

While the device of the invention has been described as being useful for making copies of printed material, it is obvious that the device could also be used for making reproductions by reloading the developed film or photosensitive paper in the device and passing it across a photo-- sensitive sheet as shown in FIG. 9, which shows a deqveloped film 65 in contact with photosensitive material 7 .66 mounted on a backing sheet 67. This reproduction would have to take place in either a darkroom or under subdued light, as determined by the sensitivity of photosensitive material 66 used and the strength of the light.

This reproduction would be produced by normal exposure and not by reflex action.

Though the light source has been described as being located in the block of light transmitting material with .ditfusing properties, it is obvious that numerous other 'means for providing substantially uniform light at the exposing head will occur to thoses killed in the art and could be used if desired.

'There is thus provided av copy-reproducing device which is capable of reproducing copies without having to remove the pages from bound documents.

While certain specific embodiments have been described in some. detail, it is obvious that numerous changes can be made without departing from thegeneral scope of the invention.

Lelaim:

1. A device. for producing a copy of printed material comprising; a light'tight housing; a photosensitive material-supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; -means; for supporting said spools within said housing; an elongated opening insaid housing; an elongated exposing headprojectinginto said opening; means, contacting both said printed and photosensitive materials and responsive "to the speed of movement of the copying device over said printed material, for moving said photosensitive material past said exposing head .in contact with said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of copying device; means for supplying substantially uniform illumination for said exposing head; means for shielding said photosensitive material from said illumination, except at the area of contact of the, photosensitive material and the exposing head.

2,. A device-tor producing a copy of printed material :comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive. material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing;

means for supporting said spools within said housing; '=an exposing head; means, responsive to the speed of IILOVCIHEIlt of the copying device over said printed mate- ,rial,,for movingsaid photosensitive, material past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the spe ed of motion of copying device; means for supplying :substantially'uniform illumination for said exposing head; means for shielding said photosensitive material from said illumination, except at the area of contact of the photosensitive material and the exposing head; and means, .re,s'ponsive to the speed ofmovement of the copying, device. over theprinted material, v.for maintaining the speed of motion of copying device; a light diflusing me dium adjacent said exposing head; a light source located within said light diffusing medium; means for energizing said light source; and means for shielding said photo sensitive material from the light from said light source except at the area of contact of the photosensitive material and the exposing head.

4. A device for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing;

an elongated opening in the bottom of said housing; an elongated stationary exposing head extending across the.

bottom of said housing and projectinginto said opening;

means, contacting both said printed and photosensitive materials and responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device over said printed material, for moving said photosensitive material past said exposing .head in contact with said exposing head and said printed mate rial and at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of copying device; a light diifusing medium ad jacent said exposing head; a line light source located parallel to said diffusing head within said light diffusing medium; means for energizing said light source; and

means for shielding said photosensitive material front the light from said light source except at the area of COD-1. tact of the photosensitive material and the exposing head.

.5. A reflex copying device comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and takeup spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing; an exposing head; means, responsive to the speed of movement of the reflex copying device, for moving said light sensitive paper past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of copying device over the printed mate rial; a light diffusing medium adjacent said exposing head; a light source located within said light diffusing medium; means for energizing said light source; means for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source, except at the area of contact of the photosensitive material and the exposing head; and

means, responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device 'over the printed material, for controlling the. amountof light at said exposing head.

6. A reflex copying device comprising: alight-tight housing; a photosensitive material'supply spool and takeup spool within said housing; means 'for supporting'said spools within said housing; an exposing head; means,

responsive to the speed of movement of the reflex copying device for moving said light sensitive paper past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of copying device; a light diffusing medium adjacent said exposinghead; a light source located within said light diffusing medium; means for energizing said light source; means for shielding said photosensitive material from the "light 'from said light source except at the area of contact of the photosensitive material and the exposing head; .a shutter between said light source and said exposing head; and means responsive to the speed of movement of the reflex copying device for opening said. shutter: as the speed of said copying device is increased. V

7. A device for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing; an elongated opening in said housing; an elongated exposing head projecting into said opening; a metering roller, adapted to roll over the printed material in contact therewith; means for urging the photosensitive mate- .rial on said take-up spool into contact with said metering roller, whereby said photosensitive material is moved past said exposing head in contact with said exposing head and said printed material and at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of the copying device over the printed material; a light diffusing medium adjacent said exposing head; a light source located within said light diffusing medium; means for energizing said light source; and means for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source except at thearea of contact of the photosensitive material and theexposing head.

8. A device-for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing; 'an elongated opening in said housing; an elongated exposing head projecting into said opening; a metering roller adapted to roll over the printed material; means for urging the photosensitive material on said take-up spool into contact with said metering roller, whereby said photosensitive material is moved past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of the copying device over the printed material; a light diffusing medium adjacent said exposing head; a light source located within said light diflusing medium; means for energizing said light source; means for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source except at the area of contact of the photosensitive material and the exposing head; and means, responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device, for controlling the amount of light at said exposing head.

9. A device for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing; an exposing head; a metering roller adapted to roll over the printed copy; means for urging the photosensitive material on said take-up spool into contact with said metering roller, whereby said photosensitive material is moved past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of the copying device over the printed material; a light diffusing medium adjacent said exposing head; a light source located within said light diffusing medium; means for energizing said light source; means for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source except at the area of con-tact of the photosensitive material and. the exposing head; a shutter between said light source and said exposing head; and means, responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device over the printed material, for opening said shutter as the speed of the copying device is increased.

10. A device for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool Within said housing;

- copying device over the printed material, for moving the photosensitive material past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of the copying device; a first cylindrical shaped hole through said block parallel to said exposing head; a light source source; a second overlapping cylindrical shaped hole ifi said block parallel to said first hole and located between said first hole and said exposing head; a shutter forming a cylindrical section located within said second hole, said shutter having two cylindrical shaped end portions; means, responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device over the printed material, for opening said shutter as the speed of the copying device is increased; a light reflecting opaque material on the inner wall of said first hole; and means, on the surface of said block, for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source, except at thearea of contact of said photosensitive material and the exposing head. I

l1.'A device for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing; a block of light transmitting material, with light diffusing properties, within said housing; said block being tapered toward a narrow head, to thereby provide an elongated exposing head; a metering roller adapted to rollover the printed copy; means for urging the photosensitive material on said take-up spool into contact with said metering roller, whereby said photosensitive material is moved past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of the copying device over the printed material; a first cylindrical shaped hole through said block parallel to said exposing head; a

light source within said first hole; means for energizing said light source; a second overlapping cylindrical shaped hole in said block parallel to said first hole and located between said first hole and said exposing head; a shutter, forming a cylindrical section, located within said second hole; said shutter having two cylindrical shaped end portions; means, responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device over the printed material, for opening said shutter as the speed of the copying device is increased; a light reflecting opaque material on the inner wall of said first hole; and means, on the surface of said block, for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source, except at the area of contact of said photosensitive material and the exposing head.

12. A device for producing a copy of printed material comprising: a light-tight housing; a. photosensitive material supply spool and take-up spool within said housing; means for supporting said spools within said housing; a block of light transmitting material, having light diffusing properties, within said housing; said block being tapered toward a narrow head, to thereby provide an elongated exposing head; a first cylindrical shaped hole through said block parallel to said exposing head; a metering roller adapted to roll over the printed copy; means for urging the photosensitive material on said take-up spool into contact with said metering roller, whereby said photosensitive material is moved past said exposing head at substantially the same speed as the speed of motion of the copying device over the printed material; means within said metering roller for preventing rotation of said roller in a' direction tending to unwind the photosensitive material on said take-up spool; an elongated light source within said first hole; means for energizing said light source; a second overlapping cylindrical shaped hole in said block parallel to said first hole and located between said first hole and said exposing head; a shutter in theform of a cylindrical section located within said second hole; said shutter having two cylindrical shaped end portions; at least one magnetic speed responsive device located adjacent said light-tight housing; a mechanical linkage for connecting the "output of said magnetic speed responsive .device to said shutter; means, responsive to the speed of movement of the copying device over the printed material, for energizing said speed responsive device to supply a torque for opening said shutter as the speed of the copying device is increased; an adjustable means for opposing;

said torque; a light reflecting opaque material on the inner wall of said first hole; means, on the surface of said block, for shielding said photosensitive material from the light from said light source, except at the area of contact of said photosensitive material and the exposing head; and means, mounted on said housing and mechanically coupled to the photosensitive material on said supply spool, for indicating the amount of photosensitive material remaining on said supply spool.

13. In a continuous exposure type of reflex copying device, a variable light source responsive to speed of said device comprising: a block of light transmitting material with light difiusing properties; said block being tapered toward a light transmitting head; a first cylindrical shaped hole through said block;'a light source within said first hole; means for energizing said light source; a second overlapping cylindrical shaped hole in said block parallel to said first hole and located between said first hole and said light transmitting head; a shutter in the form of a cylindrical section located within said second hole;

means, responsive to speed, for rotating said shutter in said second hole, to thereby open said shutter in response to an increase in speed; a light reflecting opaque material on the inner wall of said first hole.

14. In a movable continuous exposure type of reflex copying device, a variable light source responsive to speed of said device, comprising: a block of light transmitting material, saidblock being tapered toward a narrow, elon gated head; a first cylindrical shaped hole through said block parallel to said elongated head; an elongated light source within said first hole; means for energizing said light source; a second overlapping cylindrical shaped hole in said block parallel to said first hole and located between said first hole and said elongated head; a shutter in the form of a cylindrical section located within said second hole; said shutter having two cylindrical shaped end portions; a rotatable drag cup; magnetic means responsive to the speed of rotation of said drag cup, for rotating said shutter in said second hole; an adjustable means for opposing said rotation;.a light reflecting opaque material on the inner wall of said first hole; an opaque coating on all of the surfaces of said block, except said elongated head portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mauch Dec. 25, 1917 2,198,115 John Apr. 23, 1940 2,919,636 Kron e -2-.- Jan. 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 392,283 Great Britain May 18, 1933 744,689 France Jan. 26, 1933 

1. A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A COPY OF PRINTED MATERIAL COMPRISING; A LIGHT-TIGHT HOUSING; A PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL SUPPLY SPOOL AND TAKE-UP SPOOL WITHIN SAID HOUSING; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID SPOOLS WITHIN SAID HOUSING; AN ELONGATED OPENING IN SAID HOUSING; AN ELONGATED EXPOSING HEAD PROJECTING INTO SAID OPENING; MEANS, CONTACTING BOTH SAID PRINTED AND PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS AND RESPONSIVE TO THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF THE COPYING DEVICE OVER SAID PRINTED MATERIAL, FOR MOVING SAID PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL PAST SAID EXPOSING HEAD IN CONTACT WITH SAID EXPOSING HEAD AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SPEED AS THE SPEED OF MOTION OF COPYING DEVICE; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM ILLUMINATION FOR SAID EXPOSING HEAD; MEANS FOR SHIELDING SAID PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL FROM SAID ILLUMINATION, EXCEPT AT THE AREA OF CONTACT OF THE PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL AND THE EXPOSING HEAD. 